Supported by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Stop Ivory, this will be Kenya’s boldest statement yet on wildlife, ivory, and the future of its elephants made at a time when worldwide concern for elephants has arguably never been greater.

Critically, the burn is happening just ahead of the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES, where crucial decisions concerning the future of the world’s remaining elephant population will be taken.

With 182 parties, CITES is viewed by many as one of the world’s most important multilateral environmental agreements.

Many are hoping that Kenya’s Ivory Burn will act as a rallying call to all African range states to demand the close of ivory markets at CITES in Johannesburg this September.